Friends,

I want to speak with you directly about an issue that has deeply impacted our community. In the past few weeks, we’ve seen troubling violent incidents across District J—from a mass shooting at an after-hours club in Gulfton to random gunfire terrorizing families in Sharpstown. These events are unacceptable, and they demand immediate action.

Unfortunately, despite the urgency of the moment, vital public safety programs in District J remain stalled due to decisions made by the Mayor’s office. Since we rebranded our area as “J City” and began asserting a stronger, community-centered identity, the city has chosen not to approve the renewal of key services—most notably, public safety overtime funding through the Houston Police Department. Since this calendar year began, our HPD substations have been instructed to stand down and not work requests for overtime from the District J office. This includes the District J Patrol, a successful community policing model that allowed our residents to report quality-of-life issues to DistrictJPatrol.com and receive timely HPD responses. It also includes additional presence on Bissonnet St., engagement at community events, and club checks, which are crucial to monitoring after-hours establishments that have become hotbeds for criminal activity.

Let me be clear: District J is the only council office experiencing this level of obstruction. Despite multiple attempts, I have yet to have a meeting with the Chief of Police to address these concerns. Meanwhile, our residents are left vulnerable.

Since I took office, District J has invested over $1 million into HPD to improve public safety. We are still committed to allocating our council dollars to prioritizing fighting crime. These dollars—your tax dollars—have helped us increase police visibility, reduce crime, and fund automated license plate reader cameras that assist in investigating and deterring violent activity.

Now, those efforts are being held up.

Here’s how you can help:

Please contact the Mayor’s office and respectfully demand that he that he allow previously approved HPD overtime from the District J office. These are your tax dollars—and you deserve to see them used to keep our families and neighborhoods safe.

Mayor John Whitmire's Office:

Phone: 713-837-0311

Email: mayor@houstontx.gov

Together, we can send a strong message that District J residents will not be ignored when it comes to public safety. Thank you for standing with me as we continue to fight for a safer, stronger J City.

Together we will!

Edward Pollard